Seminars
and Workshops
 The ARMA aims its
efforts
at guiding
the experienced student as well as
directing the beginning novice. Our program is
designed to take students through our curriculum, providing them with a
certified set of skills. It is arranged as a two-tier
track, one for general enthusiasts of all interest levels and
dispositions, and another for long-term oriented practitioners seeking
eventual instructor-level certification from ARMA. Our certification
program is interested in educating and sincerely training students in
these skills, not merely "endorsing" them as "approved."
 We provide a series of drills
and exercises (Armatura)
that enable students to acquire the
skill base to teach themselves and make progress quickly. The ARMA system of exploring
real techniques places emphasis on proper intent
–i.e., learning and executing moves with realistic speed and range in
order to acquire a correct sense of counter-timing, balance, and
motion. ARMA stresses a
“martial” approach to this subject –by this we mean emphasizing that
these skills and techniques were intended to be used with force to
cause injury –even though we never use them for this. To be
relearned properly today it is only logical that they must –must
–be performed in earnest, with energy and speed and we must make the
effort to practice them in this way. This doesn’t come at
first and has to be developed over time. The degree to which each
student achieves it may vary. Thus, one of the things we try to inspire
in modern students is a realistic appreciation of the martial
content of the subject we study. We therefore place
value on the mental or psychological aspects as well as the physical or
technical.
 Under the Member
Training Program (MTP) a student would first seek ranking as a general
Free-Scholar then as a Senior Free-Scholar, which consist of long-sword
training, with further specializations following in secondary weapons
such as short sword, rapier, shields, dagger, and pole-arms as part of
instructor or Provost ranking. See also Students
& Ratings within the ARMA
The ARMA Member Training Program (MTP) is
designed as a series of ongoing cumulative all-day courses for members
nationwide wishing to begin serious study under the extensive ARMA
system of historical fencing study.
The
program content is a composite approach derived from the teachings of a
variety of historical masters, and specifically deigned for students
and practitioners over extended distances who are without the benefit
of a competent instruction or practice partners.
 Each
session of private
lessons allows the student to learn our proven methodology of training
and acquire knowledge under ARMA director John Clements’ pioneering
curriculum and teaching method. The MTP currently focuses on three main
areas: Medieval Long-Sword, Renaissance (cut & thrust) Short
Sword, and Rapier. Other weapons and skills follow from these. The goal
of each focused course is to advance the student’s comprehension of the
real nature of long-bladed combat and actual weapon handling. These are
intense focused workshops in the ARMA Study Approach for serious
practitioners, both the novice and the experienced, that closely cover
much more material than our group Seminars. Each Training Program
workshop is aimed at Senior Scholar ranking and then eventual
Competency Assessment for Free-Scholar Certification in each
weapon. We offer private hands-on sessions of personalized,
intense instruction. ARMA is far more than a "web presence" or "local
group". Ours is a martial teaching system that offers results in
historical fencing skills, not honorary "titles".
 The
ARMA is no mere group of costumed reenactors that popped into existence
with the recent explosion of the World Wide Web. Ours is not a
curriculum derived from 19th century fencing
styles or modern theatrical combat theories. The ARMA system reflects
almost a decade of use in exploring the subject of Medieval and
Renaissance arms and armor associated fighting skills. From
our earliest efforts, our system's focus has been to re-develop genuine
ability through serious study of surviving fighting texts.
The
purpose of the ARMA system is to offer a foundation of earnest martial
skill through competency in unarmored fighting (Blossfechten)
with the longsword acquired through a holistic comprehension of
specific principles and
concepts derived from the works of historical masters. The techniques
of this foundation, including unarmed elements, form the basis for
study of all later-period weapons and fighting methods.
What makes
the ARMA’s knowledge and training program for historical fencing
unique? The ARMA
classes, workshops, and seminars
utilize our continually revised system of established drills and
exercises –for which we have adopted the old Roman legionnaire’s term
from Vegetius, Armatura. |
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Open Workshops:
Instruction for Non-Members
We
also offer full 1 or 2-day open events for non-members worldwide. Our Renaissance Fencing Enthusiast Workshops are open to anyone
to attend, not just members.
Beginners and novices are welcome as is anyone of any level
of
interest or experience. Open workshops
cover the historical and technical
fundamentals of one weapon---such as longsword, side-sword
(cut-and-thrust sword), or rapier---as well as foundations of the ARMA
Study
Approach and Training Methodology. These are presented as open events
outside of the curricula of our certification seminars
for members. We assist in both promotion and
registration of attendees once a suitable location is arranged and a
date confirmed. If there is sufficient interest in your area
and
you would like to host such an event, inquire about scheduling a
Seminar by emailing us. We generally require a facility with a high ceiling and a
large area suited to 15-30 people practicing, but are
flexible.
We recommend starting with a longsword seminar as it is the foundation
of our Art. Click here to
learn more
 Senior
Instructor John Clements:
A range of group seminars on
historical fencing featuring the ARMA system are offered by senior
instructor, John Clements,
a leading researcher-practitioner of historical fencing and a foremost
instructor of Medieval and Renaissance swordplay, has over 30 years of
experience in the craft and has taught in 11 countries. John has
publicly instructed in this subject since 1992
teachings dozens of events on
longsword, sword & buckler, sword & dagger, and rapier.
Mr.
Clements specializes in presenting introduction to
Renaissance martial
courses, and the ARMA certification seminar series.
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